ME 4710 Motion and Control

Simple Hydraulic Circuits

Reference: Parker Design Engineers Handbook: Volume 1-Hydraulics, Bulletin 0292-B1-H.
Parker Industrial Hydraulic Technology, 2nd Ed., Bulletin 0232-B1.

Pumps and Cavitation

o Pumps are used in hydraulic circuits to supply pressurized fluid, and in turn, the
pressurized fluid is able to perform work.
o Pumps and hydraulic fluids both have limitations as to the amount of work that can be
done. An example of this is the phenomenon known as cavitation. Cavitation is the
formation and collapse of gaseous vapor cavities in a liquid.
o Cavitation can be brought about in a hydraulic pump when the rotating group of the
pump moves so rapidly that pressure inside the pumping mechanism reaches the
liquids vapor pressure. The hydraulic fluid boils, resulting in cavitation, which causes
harmful effects to the pump. Cavitation causes the pump to emit a steady high-pitched
squeal and gravel-like rattle.
o The hydraulic trainers have a vacuum gage connected to the tank outlet to monitor this
possibility. The gage will read a low (negative) pressure as the fluid is being sucked
from the tank into the pump. If cavitation should ever occur in a lab experiment, the
system should be shut down immediately. Then, the vent valve, next to the pressure
gage, should be turned to the open or on setting before restarting the trainer.
Pumps and Pressure Relief
o The pump on the trainers is a fixed displacement pump capable of 3 GPM flow rate,
and it is driven by a 1 HP electric motor. Given these two quantities, we can calculate
the maximum pressure allowed before the motor will stall. The power is
P F v p Av p Q

o P is power, p is pressure, A is area, v is velocity, and Q is the volumetric flow rate.

ft-lb in-lb
1 HP 550 6600
sec sec
gal in 3 1 min in 3
3 GPM 3 231 11.55
min gal 60 sec sec
So,
in-lb 1 sec
pmax 6600 3 571 (psi)
sec 11.55 in
For this reason, the pressure relief valve should never be set higher than 500 (psi) !

Kamman ME 4710: page 1/4

Dead-heading A System
o The circuit in Fig. 1 has an electric motor coupled with a hydraulic pump that
pressurizes the fluid. A pressure gage, a pressure relief valve, and a vent valve are
located downstream from the pump. If the vent valve is open, fluid will flow freely
from the pump to the tank. If the vent valve is closed, the fluid has no place to flow and
the system pressure will rise to a maximum value before the relief valve opens and
maintains that maximum pressure.
o Dead-heading the system occurs when the fluid in a system is prevented from
flowing and the pressure in the system reaches a maximum value.

Pressure Vent Valve

0.11 IN2 0.11 IN2
0.00 Psi

0.11 IN2
0.11 IN2 0.11 IN2

Pressure Relief Valve

Motor Fixed Displacement Pum p

Max. Flow Rate 3 GPM

Figure 1: Circuit diagram for the motor, pump,

tank, vent valve, and relief valve.

Pumps, Pressure, and Flow Rate

o All hydraulic pumps have a limit as to how much fluid can be displaced into a system.
Fixed displacement hydraulic pumps develop a constant fluid flow into the system.
As a general rule, the more resistance a system has to accepting the fluid displaced by
the pump, the higher the system pressure will be.
o Conversely, the less resistance a system has to accepting the fluid displaced by the
pump, the lower the system pressure will be. When the system experiences the lowest
level of resistance, the pump will operate at full capacity. The circuit in Figure 2 is
designed to determine the pumps maximum flow rate.
o If a circuit is not putting out the required amount of work, it is usually due to a lack of
pressure in the system. An inadequate pump may cause the lack of pressure. The
circuit may require a pump with a greater displacement or a pump with a faster speed.
Another solution to this problem is to supercharge the existing pump with another
pump by coupling them together.
Kamman ME 4710: page 2/4
o In Fig. 3, a flow control valve is placed in front of a flow meter. The function of the
flow control valve is to place a restriction in the flow path and reduce the pumps flow
rate in that particular portion of a hydraulic circuit. As the flow restriction area is
made smaller and smaller, the pressure in the system upstream of the restriction will
increase until the pressure relief valve activates to divert the flow.

0.00 GPM
0.00 GPM
Pressure Vent Valve
0.11 IN2 0.11 IN2
0.00 Psi Vent Valve
Pressure
0.11 IN2 0.11 IN2
0.00 Psi

0.11 IN2
0.11 IN2 0.11 IN2
0.11 IN2
0.11 IN2 0.11 IN2

Pressure Relief Valve

Pressure Relief Valve

Motor Fixed Displacem ent Pump Motor Fixed Displacem ent Pump
Max. Flow Rate 3 GPM Max. Flow Rate 3 GPM

Figure 2: A circuit to measure the maxi- Figure 3: A circuit to control the

mum flow rate of the pump. flow rate of hydraulic fluid.

Simple Hydraulic Actuation Circuits

o The circuit in Fig. 4 is an example of a standard circuit. Two components have been
added to the circuit shown in Fig. 1, a three-position, four connection (way), spring-
offset, mechanical control valve and a double-acting, single rod, cylinder.
o The mechanical control valve allows flow
into the system in two directions,
depending on which direction the lever is
moved. This system cannot be dead-
headed when the control valve is in the Pressure
0.11 IN2
Vent Valve
0.11 IN2
0.00 Psi
default, or centered, position because the
mechanical valve allows the fluid to flow
internally from the pressure port P to the
0.11 IN2
return port T. 0.11 IN2 0.11 IN2

o The valve allows control over the direction Pressure Relief Valve

of flow and also some control over the Motor Fixed Displacem ent Pump
Max. Flow Rate 3 GPM
flow rate. The operator can adjust the lever
slightly in either direction. This action will
allow a little fluid to pass through the Figure 4: Simple actuation circuit with a
cylinder and manual 4-way valve.
orifice of the valve and slowly move the
piston inside the cylinder.
Kamman ME 4710: page 3/4
o If the lever is moved completely left (or right), the piston velocity will increase to a
maximum value. Thus, we can crudely control both the direction of flow and flow rate.
o Fig. 5 shows the circuit of Fig. 4 with the mechanical control valve replaced with a
solenoid-operated control valve. Because this valve does not allow internal flow from
the pressure port P to the return port T, the system can be dead-headed by simply
centering the valve.
o The solenoid valve also does not allow control over the flow rate, because once the
solenoid is activated in either direction, it moves the valve spool into the extreme left or
right positions. However, similar to the mechanical valve, the direction of flow can be
controlled.

? ?

Pressure Vent Valve

0.11 IN2 0.11 IN2
0.00 Psi

0.11 IN2
0.11 IN2 0.11 IN2

Pressure Relief Valve

Motor Fixed Displacem ent Pump

Max. Flow Rate 3 GPM

Figure 5: Simple actuation circuit with a

cylinder and 4-way solenoid valve.

o The cylinder is said to be double acting, because it is actuated in both directions by

pressurized fluid. When the solenoid is activated to the right, fluid flows from port P
into port A. This action retracts the piston to the end of the cylinder. When the
solenoid is activated to the left, the cross configuration to the right is enabled. This
action extends the piston to the opposite end of the cylinder.
o When the piston reaches the end of the cylinder, the system will dead-headed. This is
because the fluid that is pushing the piston has nowhere to go once the piston has
extended or retracted completely.
o If the ends of the cylinder are cushioned, the motion of the cylinder will slow as it
reaches the end of its stroke due to a hydraulic damping circuit incorporated into the
ends of the cylinder.

Kamman ME 4710: page 4/4